INGRAM GALLERY | June 2021 |
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Greetings!
In this issue of Ingram Art News we offer a glimpse into the art of influential historical and contemporary artists living in constant states of creation. We bring the gallery to you with a look at the works of artists as well as the newest installment of From the Collectors’ Den, a serial exploration of significant historical artwork. This installment addresses the landscape paintings of Barker Fairley, R.C.A. (1887-1986), the eminent scholar and artist that transformed how we view the world around us.
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BARKER FAIRLEY, RCA (1887-1986) Coryell's Pasture, 1939 - oil on panel, 11.5 x 14 inches
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FROM THE COLLECTORS' DEN | AT INGRAM
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Barker Fairley: Landscapes
Barker Fairley’s landscapes are some of the most consummate and striking works from our shared art history. These early panels are currently available at the gallery and exemplify Fairley’s astute and forward-looking vision.
Fairley’s enchantment with the landscape is palpable as the artist's worldly attention is repeatedly drawn to modern visions of rural Ontario, particularly in the areas surrounding Toronto and Prince Edward County. As he condenses his subjects to their fundamental form, Fairley’s line work and spellbinding palette serve as inimitable signatures that carry the eye.
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BARKER FAIRLEY, RCA (1887-1986) Near King, 1939 - oil on panel, 11.5 x 14 inches
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The artist began painting in his mid-forties, comparably late in life, and said “My style was there the day I started and has stayed with me right along.” With his experience and extensive knowledge of landscape painting, Fairley handled the brush with an immediacy that had built over the course of his interconnected life and career.
Fairley was a distinguished scholar of languages and a leading authority on the literature of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Born in Yorkshire, England he completed his PhD at Jena University in Germany before moving to Canada, where he would ultimately lead the German department at the University of Toronto. He taught at the school’s University College from 1915 until his retirement in 1957.
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BARKER FAIRLEY, RCA (1887-1986) Two Trees, 1978 - oil on masonite, 16 x 20 inches
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The artist's paintings appeared widely in solo exhibition, including those at the Picture Loan Society, Arts and Letters Club, the University of Toronto, and the Agnes Etherington Gallery. He was the recipient of a large number of awards with highlights including the Order of Canada, a Fellowship at the Royal Society of Canadian Artists, and honourary doctorates from numerous universities in Canada and England. His works are found in significant collections including those of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Carleton University, and the University of Toronto’s Hart House, University College, and Faculty of Music.
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RACHEL BERMAN (1946-2014) Why Don't We Just Dance - from study East L.A., 2010 - oil on cotton duck on cradled maple panel, 31 x 40 inches
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The art of Rachel Berman (1946-2014) is treasured among art lovers and collectors the world over. Berman's unquestionably artistic life and the depth of her intuition provide recurrent consideration of the grandest of themes, as well as contemplation about what is right in front of us.
An artist’s artist, Berman’s work often runs counter to common teachings of figurative painting. Why Don't We Just Dance (above) for example shows us the back of its main subject and with half of his head off canvas. The seemingly minor characters resultantly take new roles as we change our focus. This approach to composition is one of many atypical facets in Berman’s work, all of which were second nature to her and which present us with new lenses.
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ANDREW BELL uni mod 1, 2012 - plaster & mixed media, 18.5 x 16.5 x 10 inches
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Since the early 1990s, Andrew Bell's dedicated and singular artistic vision has cultivated a prophetic image of how the past interacts with a dystopian future. Artful and highly figurative, the works focus on issues surrounding mass media, political propaganda, and mass confusion. Warlike figures from an uncertain place gesture toward notions of individual beauty and heroism, fights over control and power, and what it means to be human.
The art of David Michael Scott is the subject of much attention and the gallery’s website continues to see additions of his work on a regular basis. Newly categorized by medium, the artist’s oils, watercolours, and other forms are shown concurrently, offering perspective into the scope of Scott’s stunning approach to art making.
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DAVID MICHAEL SCOTT Interior #3, 2001 - oil on board, 21.25 x 22.25 inches
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The gallery has recently received a collection of delightful and available original art greeting cards created by team member and artist Nadaa Hyder. These uplifting cards are unique watercolour collages on bamboo card stock. Hyder has been making cards as a tradition since childhood and the pieces are ideal for sending thoughtful messages.
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NADAA HYDER Studio shot, Spring 2021
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FROM ALL OF US | AT INGRAM
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DANIEL HUGHES Untitled #2, 2016 - oil on board, 12 x 16 inches
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Summer brings an artful year ahead as we embrace the power of creativity and reflection at the gallery. Please contact us for a catalogue of works by Barker Fairley and for further details on any artists we work alongside. The gallery is available by phone and email and as always we look forward to being of help.
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Brightest and best wishes,
Tarah Aylward, Director
Ingram Gallery
416-929-2220
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TRAVIS SHILLING Three Crows - oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches
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